> many non-tech trading/quant/exec jobs on Wall Street certainly pay far more
And many do not. I actually came from the trading side and there are a lot of VPs [1] who cap out at lower total comp levels than you would think [2]. There are absolutely tech roles that pay mid 6 figures or more, in NY, SF/SV, and elsewhere. It's not harder to get those roles than it is to become a VP.
Yes, there are traders who made 8 or 9 figure bonuses, but these are outliers akin to successful VC-backed startup founders.
> The cost of living is outrageous even compared to NYC.
I think this is debatable, but it's irrelevant so I won't indulge.
[1] VP is the first role where there's no "up or out". You can stay as a VP and not be promoted without being implicitly or explicitly told to leave.
[2] I know a quant trading VP who is extremely unlikely to ever make more than $300k and they have never made more than that over a career that spans more than a decade. This is fairly typical.
And many do not. I actually came from the trading side and there are a lot of VPs [1] who cap out at lower total comp levels than you would think [2]. There are absolutely tech roles that pay mid 6 figures or more, in NY, SF/SV, and elsewhere. It's not harder to get those roles than it is to become a VP.
Yes, there are traders who made 8 or 9 figure bonuses, but these are outliers akin to successful VC-backed startup founders.
> The cost of living is outrageous even compared to NYC.
I think this is debatable, but it's irrelevant so I won't indulge.
[1] VP is the first role where there's no "up or out". You can stay as a VP and not be promoted without being implicitly or explicitly told to leave.
[2] I know a quant trading VP who is extremely unlikely to ever make more than $300k and they have never made more than that over a career that spans more than a decade. This is fairly typical.